


Slowly, steadily

by rebelsfromstars



Series: Kanera Fluff [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Spoilers: there is slow-dancing here, set somewhere in the middle but closer to end of season 3 and before season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 06:02:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19203355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelsfromstars/pseuds/rebelsfromstars
Summary: Hera and Kanan share a much needed moment before all things go to hell. (In other words they have a date and it's in the middle of the night).





	Slowly, steadily

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all of you! I'm so sorry for being so inactive recently, life is just a little crazy right now. But it's exams time, so I do everything to not study, of course. 
> 
> This sat in my drafts for a very long time. I wouldn't even post it if not for [pilotinthestars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PilotInTheStars). Thank you so much, dear, you're an amazng friend <3 This work truly would not see the daylight if it weren't for your support <3 
> 
> It's really not much, just a small fic that I hope can bring a smile on your faces and bring you some feelings about this wonderfull couple! Hope you will like it <3

Hera jumped on her seat, surprised from the sudden noise, when the doors to the cockpit swept right open. She didn’t need to turn her head to know that it was Kanan. She did so anyway, sending him a small smile. He was without his mask, his most comfortable clothes on. He looked like he was ready to go to sleep. Or maybe he has just woken up?

Hera looked up at the chrono. Kriff, it was way past the two in the morning. She had trainings, briefings, and repairs to overwatch, all planned for early tomorrow, and she should be sleeping by now to be rested for it. But she had not been fully rested for at least a year now, always with something to do or plan.

She expected Kanan to take his usual seat in the co-pilot chair, but instead he stood behind her own.

“Hi,” she said, in attempt of humor and maybe a little tease. They had no need to greet like that, living together on the same ship for so many years. She considered that it worked, when she saw Kanan smirking.

“Hi,” he replied, with a little hoarse voice. So he indeed was sleeping before. “You’re still up?” he asked, rather rhetorically. Hera snorted with a suppressed laugh.

“Yeah, I know. I should be sleeping. But I’m almost done.” Kanan looked at her with raised eyebrow.

“Almost, meaning, you’re already doing the work you have planned for tomorrow?” he asked. Hera let the corner of her mouth lift in a half-smile.

“Meaning, it’s the work for tomorrow that I need to do before then,” she said back to him. She turned back to her assignments, but she saw Kanan shaking his head in the corner of her eye. There was only a brief moment of silence before he spoke up:

“Would you maybe like to enjoy a cup of tea with me? I know a pretty good place.” Hera smirked, turning her head towards him again.

“Oh really? Is that place my galley?” she asked. Kanan had a full grin now on his face.

“It’s a five-star place for a caf or tea. It’s worse with food, but the drinks are the best in the galaxy,” he assured her, jokingly. Hera chuckled under her breath.

“I’ll join you, but I have to finish this first.”

“Oh, come on, you can do it tomorrow. Is it very urgent?”

“Well, no, but it’s important.”

“But you need to rest. You’re not gonna do well with those if you’re dead tired.” Hera sighed. Of course he was right. She just didn’t like it. A few years ago she could stay up late, wake up early, and still have lots of energy. Now, she felt like she wasn’t as productive as she would want herself to be.

But yeah, she will not do well on those reports, if she was tired. And she really was. Drinking a nice cup of tea with Kanan before going to bed seemed like a good way to rest.

“Okay,” she said, putting down her datapad. Kanan’s face was so full of self-satisfaction that she had to roll her eyes. She punched him jokingly in the chest.

“You’re way too proud of yourself, you know that right?” she said as she passed him.

“I have a reason to be” he replied. Hera only rolled her eyes again, not stopping. She knew he was following her.

When they got to the galley, she immediately went to the cabinets with the intent to find the tea and do it herself, but Kanan stopped her.

“I’ll do it Hera, you can sit down and relax.” Hera was suspicious, thinking he was planning something special, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she did sat down, and watched him.

She didn’t fully realize how good he had gotten at moving around the ship. It was so hard in those first few months. Then something changed; Kanan didn’t say much about it, only that it was Force-related. Hera knew there was something that he wasn’t telling her about, but if he preferred to keep it to himself she was not about to pressure him. She missed the times when it was simpler, though, and they could tell each other everything. Now, it wasn’t that easy, especially when it came to Kanan’s blindness. But they respected each other’s fields, she his when it came to Force, and he hers when it came to flying. They were always like that, so at least that stayed as it was, even when sometimes it created situations, which Hera would prefer to be a little different.

She just hoped that if he really had a problem, he would come to her nevertheless. Everything changed recently, his blindness, the Rebellion, war- it all took away from them the time they could spend together. And Hera understood why Kanan needed to deal with some things on his own now, but deep in her heart, it didn't stop her from missing the way things were before.

Watching him though, she gained a sense of rightness of his choice. He had to do it for himself, and she couldn’t be selfish to take it away from him, from his healing process. He found a sense of his own competence in every move, and Hera couldn’t be more proud of him.

He prepared the cups of tea - and just like Hera suspected, not just any tea, it looked fancy, something they couldn’t allow for most of the time - and placed one in front of her, the other across from her. He turned on the radio, really quietly, only a gentle hum in the background, and took his place in front of her.

“Try it, it’s something new that I’ve learned,” he encouraged her. She smiled at him, and brought the cup to her lips. The intense aroma hit her nostrils. It was flowery and fruity, but still keeping the essence of a standard green tea as the base. Hera took a sip.

She didn’t expect a simple drink to taste so good, not after she had Spiran Caf for so many years. But Kanan could do miracles when it came to the kitchen.

“It tastes amazing,” she said, looking up at him, smiling. His smile felt like a personal win after a long-fought battle. It made Hera’s heart flutter, and she was surprised how he was still able to do that, after all those years.

“I’m glad,” he said.

They sat in silence, enjoying the drinks and each other’s company. Hera closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the music. One song ended and another began with a delicate but energetic intro.

 

_I know your eyes in the morning sun_

_I feel you touch me in the pouring rain_

_And the moment that you wander far from me_

_I want to feel you in my arms again_

_And you come to me on a summer breeze_

_Keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave_

_And it's me you need to show_

_How deep is your love_

 

Hera let herself immerse into the music, feeling it. She didn’t know if it was the song’s fault or that she was with Kanan now, but she felt the song reaching deep inside her, like she knew what it was about.

She opened her eyes to look at Kanan. His expression was a little sad, even when there was a smile on his face. Hera felt an immediate instinct to do something about it, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. There were times when she wouldn’t hesitate, but now she felt more conflicted with every mission, every battle they undertook, and with his every look, his every gesture it felt even more difficult.

Luckily, Kanan still knew what to do.

He outstretched his hand towards her across the table. Hera laughed quietly, putting down the drink and taking it. They drew closer to each other as if it was the most natural thing to do. Kanan’s arms were around her waist, and her hands fell to rest around his neck at the same time. She took one little step closer, resting her head on his chest, this time with little to no hesitation. She breathed in his familiar scent, the one that reminded her of home now. They moved slowly together, holding each other.

 

_How deep is your love, how deep is your love?_

_I really mean to learn_

_'Cause we're living in a world of fools_

_Breaking us down when they all should let us be_

_We belong to you and me_

 

Kanan watched Hera through the Force, and could feel how her tension was lessening, as she was getting comfortable around him. He was mesmerized by the mental picture it created, like he always was. She would never stop to surprise him. She seemed to be far more relaxed than a half an hour before, with a small, content smile on her face that he could feel she had. Hera tightened her embrace, and he did the same, wanting to just feel the moment. How rarely they had a chance now to do that, to simply be and enjoy each other’s company.

He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, in the split feel of affection that he always had for her. He felt how she turned her head towards him, looking up at him. Gently, he traced his finger down her cheek to feel her smile. He did so slowly, but surely, in the manner that she could stop if she didn’t want that. But he didn’t feel her protesting. On the contrary, she took his hand in her, and held it close. With every sway and word she seemed to be closer to him.

 

_I believe in you_

_You know the door to my very soul_

_You're the light in my deepest, darkest hour_

_You're my savior when I fall_

_And you may not think I care for you_

_When you know down inside that I really do_

_And it's me you need to show_

_How deep is your love?_

 

Kanan let out a little sigh, and held Hera closer, drawing from her his source of comfort and light. The song’s lyrics rang more true than he would think. Hera was everything to him. The feelings they had for each other, they knew of them. They talked about it, but never actually admitted to them, at least on her side. And he knew why. He still wondered how it would look like if there was no war.

He closed his eyes, without really a need to do so, it was more out of habit than necessity. He let the melody carry them, listening to the lyrics, as if they listened to their hearts.

There was never questioning in their feelings and their love. Their trust or respect for each other. There was also a desire though, a desire to hold onto it and relish it, to take what they could now, because nobody knew if they were going to survive another battle. They were there for each other for so many years. They knew each other like nobody else did. And there still were things left unsaid between them that if only allowed, would let them to be with each other fully.

 

_How deep is your love, how deep is your love?_

_I really mean to learn_

_'Cause we're living in a world of fools_

_Breaking us down when they all should let us be_

_We belong to you and me_

 

Hera chuckled and Kanan could feel it with her head pressed against his chest.

“What's that about?” he asked. Hera shook her head, pulling herself closer to him, smirking.

Kanan couldn't stop a smile of his own.

“Let me guess - you're thinking how stupid and mundane a thing like that is when we’re at the edge of a real war and the battles are getting harder?”

“That too,” she said, after which she looked up at him, her eyes shining brightly, and Kanan found himself lost in that beaming light all over again, as if they were again on Gorse, the Moons of Rion, Lothal, or right where they were now, but a few years earlier, on the Ghost, a ship which became home to them and their family.

“But I also think about how much I missed it. And how stupid it is that I realize it now when we're doing it and when stakes are getting higher.” She said. Kanan smiled. He knew her well after all, and it was nice to hear her say something like that. They both were so caught up in war and she was so devoted to Rebellion that he sometimes forgot … But he didn’t know what exactly. He knew they loved each other. He was sure of that. Nevertheless, they drew away from each other, and only recently started to find their way back. Kanan knew he had his fault in that. But Hera not admitting what they really had, in the face of war, when every day could be their last was not making it easier. He understood why she wanted to keep everything low until the war is over. He just started to be more and more afraid that they wouldn’t make it until the end. And if these were only irrational fears and anxieties he would just let it go. But it was a Force-feeling pulling at him from the edges, and lurking by him, starting to eat him out from the inside.

 

_And you come to me on a summer breeze_

_Keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave_

_And it's me you need to show_

_How deep is your love?_

 

“I miss you too Hera,” he said then, smiling at her. There was softness on his face and feelings visible that moved Hera deeply, even if she wouldn't admit to that. He was this gentle, strong, selfless man and she was happy to be with him in that moment and many others, some she was sure would yet come.

She reciprocated the smile and leaned closer, standing on her tiptoes to reach him. They kissed delicately, and it felt so good to feel him again. She really did miss him.

They didn't prolong the kiss. They both needed more now to simply be with each other than to kiss, which could eventually lead them to more. Hera rested her forehead against Kanan's and they slowly swayed to the music.

 

_How deep is your love ?_

_I really need to know._

_Cause we're living in the world of fools._

_Breaking us down_

_When they all should let us be_

_We belong to you and me_

 

Kanan held on tighter to Hera. It was just so comforting to be with her. Her smell was home, the memory of her eyes were a joy, and her arms a steady bay. She was such an amazing person, and he couldn't be more thankful for her. She changed his life forever.

The world around them was cruel, but they had each other. And the faith, the trust, the love in them, could keep them stronger and more hopeful throughout this war.

And when the war was over maybe they could fully enjoy what they had together.

Kanan only hoped they had time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading <3 I don't think I have to link the song, if anyone would want to though, feel free to ask me here or on [Tumblr](https://rebelsfromstars.tumblr.com) (I do have a lot of feelings considering Kanera and this song, and I think I showed it in this fic). Hope you enjoyed, comments are always appreciated <3


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